Report: Sixers Looking to Add Mike D’Antoni to Coaching Staff

According to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Sixers are in talks to make Mike D'Antoni an associate head coach.

Mike D'Antoni coached Kendall Marshall during his time in Los Angeles | Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Mike D’Antoni coached Kendall Marshall during his time in Los Angeles | Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports is reporting that the 76ers are in talks with Mike D’Antoni about the former Suns coach potentially joining Brett Brown‘s staff as an associate head coach.

The talks, according to Wojnarowski, are being initiated by new chairman of basketball operations Jerry Colangelo. Colangelo has a relationship with D’Antoni from when the coach was in Phoenix, where he compiled a 253-136 record over five seasons with the Suns.

D’Antoni was instrumental in the ‘pace-and-space’ revolution that has taken the NBA by storm. D’Antoni’s Suns were in the top-5 in pace for all of his seasons in Phoenix, including back-to-back seasons with the fastest pace in the league. The Suns also led the league in made three pointers three times during D’Antoni’s tenure.

According to Yahoo Sports, the timing of Brown’s two-year contract extension, announced earlier today, was important. With a two-year extension in place, any fears Brown may have had of D’Antoni coming in to be a head coach in waiting have been erased, per Wojnarowski.

The report also states that despite the uncertainty, and potential demotion, in the Sixers front office, general manager  is trying to stay on the job.

After D’Antoni’s stint in Phoenix ended he went to New York, where he compiled a 121-167 record in four seasons with the Knicks, then spent two seasons in Los Angeles with the Lakers, accumulating a 67-87 record in that time.

D’Antoni’s career record sits at 455-426, with a 26-33 playoff record. His 455 wins ranks as the 32nd most in NBA history.

D’Antoni was the recipient of the NBA’s Coach of the Year award in 2005.

Derek Bodner covers the 76ers for Philadelphia magazine’s new Sixers Post. Follow @DerekBodnerNBA on Twitter.